Russia may receive right to hold Song Contest

If Kyiv authorities are not able to decide which city will host the competition until October, the right to organize the Eurovision 2017 will go to Australia and Russia, the Russian newspaper Izvestia reports, citing the press service of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

“We are closely watching how the three cities stubbornly fighting for the right to hold the contest, but we do not know when the final outcome will be officially announced. The deadline is no later than the beginning of October”, the agency quoted the press service of the EBU.

Australia took the second place on Eurovision 2016. By agreement with the EBU, in view of its geographical location, Australia nominally may become a co-organizer of the event, but the contest itself will be held in the European region. According to the rules, Russia can become the second co-organizer of Eurovision 2017, as the country has won the third place in the competition.

Ukraine may not have time to prepare for the organization of Eurovision in 2017. It is still unknown which of the Ukrainian cities will host the international competition, and how the city authorities will provide the entire necessary infrastructure to be built, notes the agency.